Indiana Bulletin No

Natural Resources Conservation Service 6013 Lakeside Blvd. Indianapolis, IN 46278 ______

December 2, 2010

INDIANA FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE NOTICE IN-208

This notice transmits changes to the Indiana Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) as described below. 1. The following new standard(s) have been added to Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) with the following significant changes. a. 314 – Brush Management (October 2010) Significant Changes: New - Adopted national standard – provides criteria for control of woody species, including invasives.

b. 315 – Herbaceous Weed Control (October 2010) Significant Changes: New - Adopted national standard – provides criteria for control of herbaceous species, including invasives.

c. 799 – Monitoring and Evaluation (July 2010) Significant Changes: New - Adopted national interim standard for Mississippi River Basin Initiative efforts.

The Toolkit domain data will need updated to use these new FOTG codes.

2. The following revised standard(s) have been added to Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) with the following significant changes. a. 366 – Anaerobic Digester (October 2010) Significant Changes: Name = changed from Anaerobic Digester, Controlled Temperature; Criteria = combined both 365 and 366 nationally (365 retired); moved IDEM setback criteria into considerations.

b. 327 – Conservation Cover (October 2010) Significant Changes: Criteria = seeding specifications and criteria refer to Indiana Seeding Tool.

c. 328 – Conservation Crop Rotation (October 2010) Significant Changes: Definition = minor wording changes; Purposes = new purposes; Conditions Where Practice Applies = cover crops are considered part of the rotation; and Criteria = significant changes to soil quality criteria.

d. 512 – Forage and Biomass Planting (October 2010) Significant Changes: Name = changed from Pasture/Hayland Planting; Purposes = 2 new (increase forage supply during low periods; and feedstock for biofuel or energy production); Conditions = now includes annuals, biennials, and perennials. e. 655 – Forest Trails and Landings (October 2010) Significant Changes: Criteria = seeding table changed and other seeding specifications and criteria refer to Indiana Seeding Tool. f. 561 – Heavy Use Area Protection (October 2010) Significant Changes: Criteria = minimum thickness for ‘other’ material increased from 2” to 4”; minimum distances differentiated between large and small animals; geotextile criteria refer to Indiana construction specifications; additional criteria for Water Quality added. g. 430 – Irrigation Pipeline (October 2010) Significant Changes: Name = changed from Irrigation Water Conveyance, Pipeline; Criteria = combined 430AA, 430DD, and 430EE (all retired), most installation specifications removed and referred to NEH Part 636. h. 436 – Irrigation Reservoir (October 2010) Significant Changes: Name = changed from Irrigation Regulating Reservoir; Criteria = combined both 552 and 436 standards and changed the name of 436 (552 retired). i. 441 – Irrigation System, Microirrigation (October 2010) Significant Changes: = Definition = more specific definition; Purposes = new purpose to establish vegetation; Conditions = defined where discharge is less than 60 gal/hr. j. 595 – Integrated Pest Management (November 2010) Significant Changes: Name = changed from Pest Management; Definition = more specific definition; Criteria = Win-PST and new national Agronomy Tech Note required for Water Quality purposes; national Tech Note required for most other criteria. Also refers to National Technical Note No. 4 (also posted on Indiana’s FOTG with the updated 595 standard). k. 582 – Open Channel (October 2010) Significant Changes: Criteria = added specific criteria for 2-stage ditch designs; changed vegetation criteria. l. 533 – Pumping Plant (October 2010) Significant Changes: Criteria = 3 new criteria (energy, irrigation efficiency, and Air Quality); sections added to cover specific pump types.

m. 329 – Residue and Tillage Management, No Till/Strip Till (October 2010) Significant Changes: Conditions = clarified definitions and acceptable implements.

n. 390 – Riparian Herbaceous Cover (October 2010) Significant Changes: Purposes = added more habitat functions and pollinators; Criteria = simplified minimum widths.

o. 572 – Spoil Spreading (October 2010) Significant Changes: Criteria = seeding of spoil required if not cropped within 30 days.

p. 570– Stormwater Runoff Control (October 2010) Significant Changes: Name = changed from Runoff Management System – expected to address urban conservation.

q. 607– Surface Drain, Field Ditch (October 2010) Significant Changes: national update resulted in no major changes to Indiana.

r. 608 – Surface Drain, Main or Lateral (October 2010) Significant Changes: national update resulted in no major changes to Indiana.

s. 638 – Water and Sediment Control Basin (October 2010) Significant Changes: national update resulted in no major changes to Indiana.

t. 634 – Waste Transfer (October 2010) Significant Changes: Name = changed from “Manure Transfer”; Criteria = head requirements changed from 5 ft. to 4 ft.

3. The following Job Sheets have been added or edited in Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG). a. 655 – Forest Trails and Landings Job Sheet (October 2010) = new. 4. The following new or updated Statements of Work have been added to Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG). a. 366 – Anaerobic Digester SOW (October 2010) b. 430 – Irrigation Pipeline SOW (October 2010) c. 436 – Irrigation Reservoir SOW (October 2010) d. 441 – Irrigation System, Microirrigation SOW (October 2010) e. 572 – Spoil Spreading SOW (October 2010) f. 582 – Open Channel SOW (October 2010) g. 595 – Integrated Pest Management SOW (October 2010) h. 607 – Surface Drain, Field Ditch SOW (October 2010) i. 608 – Surface Drain, Main or Lateral SOW (October 2010)

5. The following new Tool has been added to Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) with the following significant changes. a. Indiana Seeding Tool – Establishment of Herbaceous Vegetation (October 2010) Significant Changes: updates to fertilizer, seed preparation, and planting guidelines were added.

b. Indiana Seeding Tool – Seeding Calculator & Indiana Seeding Tool – Seeding Calculator (Excel 97-2003 version) (October 2010) Significant Changes: added CRP-specific criteria including Pollinator Habitat; job sheets are now able to be saved as separate documents.

6. The following Technical Notes have been added to Section I of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) in the ‘Technical Notes’ folder: a. Agronomy Technical Note: Maintenance of Herbaceous Plantings on Muck Soils (October 2010) = new.

b. Agronomy Technical Note: Cover Crops to Improve Soil in Prevented Planted Fields (June 2009) = new; previously issued via Indiana Bulletin 450-9-1.

7. The following Fact Sheet has been added to Section I of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) in the ‘Resource Fact Sheets’ folder: a. Indiana Bat Guidelines Resource Fact Sheet (October 2010) = new.

8. The following Conservation Activity Plans have been added or updated to Section III of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) in the Conservation Activity Plans Technical Criteria folder with the following significant changes. a. 106 – Forestry Management Plan & Forestry Management Plan Indiana Checklist (November 2010) Significant Changes: CPA-52 requirement removed. b. 118 – Irrigation Water Management Plan & Irrigation Water Management Plan Indiana Checklist (November 2010) Significant Changes: CPA-52 requirement removed.

c. 138 – Conservation Plan Supporting Organic Transition & Conservation Plan Supporting Organic Transition Plan Indiana Checklist (November 2010) Significant Changes: CPA-52 requirement removed.

d. 104 – Nutrient Management Plan - Written (November 2010) Significant Changes: New – Adopted national.

e. 114 – Integrated Pest Management Plan - Written (November 2010) Significant Changes: New – Adopted national.

f. 122 – Agricultural Energy Management Plan - Headquarters - Written (November 2010) Significant Changes: New – Adopted national.

g. 124 – Agricultural Energy Management Plan - Landscape - Written (November 2010) Significant Changes: New – Adopted national.

h. 130 – Drainage Water Management Plan - Written (November 2010) Significant Changes: New – Adopted national.

i. 134 – Conservation Plan Supporting Transition from Irrigation to Dry-Land Farming (November 2010) Significant Changes: New – Adopted national.

New and revised standards may be downloaded from the Indiana NRCS FOTG web page: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/FOTG/. Select the Indiana page and go to the desired section. Standards are all located in Section IV along with their respective Job Sheets and other information.

If you need more information please contact Shannon Zezula, 317-290-3200, extension 388.

JANE E. HARDISTY State Conservationist